The Nutrients in Milk That Are Healthy for Eyes & Skin

Drink milk as a source of eye- and skin-friendly calcium.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture recommends that adults consume approximately 3 cups of dairy daily as part of a healthy diet, and drinking milk on a regular basis helps you achieve this goal. Drinking milk provides a source of several essential nutrients, including vitamins and minerals. While each nutrient plays a distinct physiological role in your body, some of the nutrients in milk benefit your eyes and skin.

Vitamin A

Milk provides your body with vitamin A, a nutrient essential for healthy skin and eyes. Vitamin A maintains the strength of your skin by promoting skin cell development, while topical vitamin A serves as a treatment for several skin diseases. The nutrient also maintains the health of your retinas, the tissue in your eyes that detects light and color. The pasteurization and fat skimming process destroy the natural vitamin A in dairy milk, but many manufacturers enrich it with vitamin A to replace the lost nutrients. Check the ingredient list and nutrition label to determine if your brand of milk contains added vitamin A, and in what amount.

Calcium

Calcium, an essential mineral found in milk, also benefits your skin and eyes. Your eyes contain nerve cells, which communicate with the visual centers in your central nervous system so that your brain can process what your eyes see. Calcium facilitates this communication, aiding in the transmission of electrochemical signals between your eyes and brain. Your skin also benefits from milk's calcium content. Consuming calcium along with vitamin D -- another nutrient found in milk -- might reduce the incidence of melanoma, a type of skin cancer, among women, according to the Stanford School of Medicine. While the efficacy of calcium in preventing skin cancer has not yet been thoroughly established, consuming it might benefit your skin. Drinking 1 cup of fat-free milk boosts your calcium intake by 299 milligrams, providing approximately one-third of your daily calcium intake requirement, according to the Linus Pauling Institute.

Protein

Milk is a rich source of protein, a nutrient essential for the maintenance of many tissues, including your skin and eyes. Proteins play a number of physiological roles in your skin -- collagen and elastin proteins provide strength and elasticity, while the pigment protein melanin provides your skin's color. In your eyes, the protein rhodopsin helps your nerves detect light from your surroundings, while neurotransmitter proteins allow for communication from your eyes to your brain. Each 1-cup serving of milk provides 8.3 grams of protein that your body requires to maintain skin and eye function.

Getting More MIlk

Even if you don't enjoy the taste of plain milk, drinking milk each day need not be a chore. Try using nonfat milk as a fluid base for smoothies so you can enjoy its nutritional value while masking its taste with sweet fruits and vegetables. Boost your intake by using milk to cook oatmeal -- a mix of milk, oats, mashed banana and cinnamon makes for a satisfying nutrient-packed breakfast. If you're a fan of chocolate milk but want to cut down on your sugar intake, try blending cacao powder with nonfat white milk at high speed, then sweeten it with stevia before serving.

About the Author

Sylvie Tremblay holds a Master of Science in molecular and cellular biology and has years of experience as a cancer researcher and neuroscientist. Based in Ontario, Canada, Tremblay is an experienced journalist and blogger specializing in nutrition, fitness, lifestyle, health and biotechnology, as well as real estate, agriculture and clean tech.